Known Members: Aman Sinaya (goddess of the sea), Amihan
(god of wind), Anitun (goddess of wind, lightning & rain), Apo Laki
(god of war & the sun), Aswang (god of evil), Bathala (god of the sky),
Mayari (goddess of the moon), Tala (goddess of the stars)

Powers/Abilities/Traits: The Diwatas all possess certain superhuman physical
attributes. They are true immortals who cease to age upon reaching
adulthood, and they cannot die by conventional means. The Diwatas
are immune to all terrestrial diseases and are resistant to conventional
injury. If a Diwata is wounded, his or her godly life force will enable
him or her to recover at a superhuman rate. It would take an injury
of such magnitude that it incinerates a Diwata or disperses a major
portion of his or her bodily molecules to cause him or her to die. Even
then, it may be possible for a god of greater or equal power, or several
gods acting together, to revive the deceased god before the god's
life essence is beyond resurrection. Diwata flesh and bone are about
two-and-a-half times denser than similar human tissue, contributing
to the gods' superhuman strength and weight. An average male god
can lift about 25 tons; an average goddess can lift about 20 tons. The
gods' metabolism gives them superhuman endurance in all physical
activities. In addition, many Diwatas possess additional superhuman
powers that may be magical in nature. For instance, the wind god
Amihan possesses the ability to generate powerful monsoons. Diwatas
are extremely attuned to all aspects of nature. However, Diwatas tend
to weaken after prolonged stays in the Earth realm, and often bind
their life essences to mortal hosts when away from Kaluwalhatian for
extended periods.

History: (Thor & Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica) - The Diwatas were worshipped by the Philippine
archipelago's various ethnic groups from approximately 4000
BC until the 16th century AD. Most of the Diwatas dwell in
Kaluwalhatian, a small "pocket" dimension adjacent to Earth;
an interdimensional nexus point between Kaluwalhatian and
Earth exists somewhere atop the Kanlaon Volcano on the island
of Negros (in the modern-day nation of the Philippines, between
the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental). The
extradimensional netherworld realm of Impiyerno is associated
with, but separate from, Kaluwalhatian and connected to Earth
via an interdimensional nexus point that exists within the
Mayon Volcano on the Philippine island of Luzon. The Diwatas
are called different names by their human worshippers; for
example, Bathala is also known as "Kan-Laon" to the Visayans,
as "Gugurang" to the Bicolanos, as "Melu" to the B'laan, as
"Kabunian" to the Ilocanos, and as "Ampu" to the tribes of
Palawan. Although Diwatas worship on Earth has largely been
supplanted by Christianity, certain gods, notably the lightning
goddess Anitun (Anitun Tabu), still take active interest in
humanity's welfare.

The Diwatas' precise origin, like that of all Earth's pantheons,
is shrouded in legend. According to ancient myths, the Earth
Mother Gaea gave birth to the three primary Diwata: Bathala
(Bathalang Maykapal), the supreme Sky Father and Diwatas'
king; Aman Sinaya (known as "Maguayen" to the Visayans),
goddess of the sea; and Amihan (known as "Kaptan" to the
Visayans), god of the wind. Together, these three gods fashioned
the first mortals from a bamboo shoot and instilled them with a
soul ("kaluluwa"). Later, Bathala fell in love with a mortal woman
while visiting Earth and sired three additional Diwatas: Apo
Laki, god of war and the sun; the beautiful Mayari, goddess of
the moon; and Tala, goddess of the stars. Subsequent generations
of Diwatas soon followed, and they devoted much of their time
and energies to serving as guardians of nature.

Worship of the Diwatas spread throughout the Philippine
archipelago. But following Spanish missionaries' arrival in the
16th century AD, Christianity began to replace the Diwatas'
worship, and Bathala reluctantly decided that the time had come
for his people to break most of their ties with Earth. Bathala
retreated to the extradimensional realm of Kaluwalhatian, the
location of the sacred "Abo Fire" that serves as the symbol of his
power, where he has since defended his realm from his younger
brother Aswang, the god of evil and ruler of the nether realm
of Impiyerno, the lowest level of the Kasanaan underworld.
Nevertheless, Bathala still retains a deep affection for and
interest in the people of Earth.

(Invincible Iron Man#2, Invincible Iron Man#4) - In recent centuries, the lightning goddess Anitun chose a
mortal host to serve as her embodiment in the Earth realm.
When her host dies, she chooses a new host from the same
mortal bloodline, often the previous hosts' daughter. In modern
times, Anitun served with the Triumph Division ("Pangkat ng
Tagumpay" in Filipino/ Tagalog), the premiere super-team of the
Philippines, and used her superhuman mastery of the storm to
serve those less fortunate. Under the leadership of the valiant
hero Red Feather, Anitun and the Triumph Division operated
out of Triumph Hall in Manila, protecting the populace of the
Philippines from threats both great and small. However, during
the unveiling ceremony of a monument outside the Manila
Cathedral constructed to honor the Triumph Division, suicide
bombers working for terrorist Ezekiel Stane killed the team,
including Anitun's mortal host. Anitun has since transferred
her life essence to her next host, who has continued her late
predecessor's affiliation with the Triumph Division.